Dean Jones underlines the need for Test World Cup

What’s the story?

Dean Jones has put his weight behind the idea of having a Test World Cup. The Australian feels that the way Test cricket is being played right now does nothing more than affect the rankings. “Test cricket is in a bit of pickle. What do these Test series mean? They mean nothing. I think we need a Test World Cup. We need meaning and purpose behind Test cricket,” said the former Australian batsman in an interview with Cricbuzz.

In case you didn’t know...

Poor attendances for Test matches have raised a question mark on the five-day format’s future. The ICC has been trying to formulate a strategy for the revival of red-ball cricket and had floated an idea of a two-tier Test league system only to receive severe opposition from the Asian cricketing bodies, including BCCI.

ICC has now proposed to split the Test playing nations into two conferences, NBA style and take red-ball cricket forward. The proposal will be discussed at next month’s board meeting.

Dean Jones, an Australian cricket commentator was one of the original prime movers behind the Indian Cricket League(ICL). The 54-year-old is widely regarded as someone who has closely followed the changes in the sport over the years.

The heart of the matter

The 54-year-old Australian believes that Test cricket has hit a roadblock and instigating a Test World Cup will add a new lease of life to the format. According to Jones, the World Cup could be held every four years and completed within 50 days. The World Cup will add a sense of purpose and context to an otherwise meaningless format, feels Jones.

Taking a cue from the way other sporting events around the world are televised, Jones feels that a game of Test cricket is too long to hold the attention of audiences. The former Australian cricketer echoed the view of having four-day Test matches, an idea which has already found influential backing from the cricketing fraternity.

What’s next?

The power of changing the way cricket is played globally ultimately lies with the ICC. With a plethora of ideas tabled in front of it, the ICC board will meet next month to decide on a future course of action in its effort to revive the longest format of the game.

Sportskeeda’s Take

In its very short stint, day-night Test matches have been well-received all over the world. This shows that change can do a lot of good to the sport by attracting more viewers.

The pink ball had its own set of problems before it came into existence. The players raised concerns about the ball’s visibility and the extravagant movement under lights. The issues were addressed over time and the change has proven to be a success so far.

The proposed ideas should be debated keeping in mind their feasibility and developing a consensus among the players and officials world over. What’s important is that Test cricket is the purest form of cricket and it should not lose its essence and existence.